Jeremiah Watt

I know that some of you probably think that JW parks it at 3:30 and has high-ball and watches tv out on the deck in the evening breeze that wafts in off the mighty blue Pacific. Well almost, but it is usually about 2:30 in the AM. And since I quit drinkin and I am a total bore if I am away from my work...........most folks in Coalinga dont even know my wife has husband..........thats how often I leave home for purely social occassions.

We have been working as of late, trying in vain I think to build a little inventory going into the fall Show season. It just seems that as soon as something is done, a truck drives in and takes away what ever it was that was made up as extra. I am convinced I
need to keep my gate locked.

Since most of our travels takes us to places where folks are looking for that california style work, that is of course the sort of work we produce. Makes sense right, when in Rome do what the English do.................right?
Given that logic, I have to say how much I was caught off guard this last January when I attended the Trappings Show in Alpine Texas. Which by the way all of you should take in at least once, it is a great show. While I was there, I seen plenty of really nice work, but there were 3 makers of bits and spurs that really blew my socks off. Now what surprised me the most was the fact that all 3 of these fella's is a Texas maker. but they brought the cleanest versions of California Spurs that you have seen........and they were from Texas! Let me share there names with you folks, becasue I just know that some of you reading this blog would just love to buy a new bit, and anyone of these threefellas can do remarkable work, believe me. These are not placed in any certain order, just the way they had been written in my little book is all. So here goes, Russell Yates of Paducah Texas, Matt Humphreys of Lubbuck Texas, and Jerry Falkner of Fort Davis Texas. Sorry folks, I do not have there permission to be giving out an phone numbers and what not, so you will have to do a little digging and calling to get the rest.

Anyways, I just finished riding about 35 miles at a gruelling pace of about 15 MPH, the wind about blew my top knot off and it was a real chore to make the ride. So while Mom's in shopping, I sit here sweating away on the keyboard of my laptop. You see this is sort of an experiment tonite, testing the new gear before we head out for the month of July to Ireland/Scotland and England with the kids for a little fun. I plan on doing a few blogs while I am over the pond, and was hoping to show all of you a tad wee bit of what we have seen while beetling about.
I built 4 full Spades during the months of April/May, along with 7 pair of silver mount spurs. That is a lot more than I normally allow time for. That plus 3 sets of saddle silver, and the saddles that go with the silver will keep ya humped up in the corner working. I show you here a few items that we felt photgraphed quite well. These are not our normal work, since there is more single point cutting here. I taught a class on engraving back in Emporia with the good folks at GRS. While there I had the chance to meet a phenominal engraver by the name of Sam Alfano, I can hardly wait to find time to take a class from him. Anyways, Sam,s single point work is stunning and was the inspiration for me to come home and work a little harder in that area of my engraving.
The Santa Barbara Spade has Floral spanish Spade top, and the cheeks are fully striped. The silver is hard soldered sections,some single point cutting and then the oxidized engraving. We do more of our silver work in the Highland Grey than in the traditional hot gun blue. This cheek style is called a Riata when you look at our web site. The other bit shown is built on what we call a Freno Cheek, also quite popular around our shop with the customers. Well, looks like my blogging is over for now, Mom is out with the groceries...................boy howdy, look at that pile of Carrot Sticks she bought.........................., if that ain't the curse of being a chub'o .
Good night and GOD BLESS